Born This Way Lyrics: She Said What She Meant

“God makes no mistakes“. Five words. That is all it took for Lady Gaga to stop a generation in its tracks.

“Born This Way” is not the kind of song that plays in the background. It is the kind that finds you on a hard day, turns the volume up, and reminds you that who you are has never needed fixing.

Since it dropped in 2011, it has sat in playlists, been screamed at concerts, and quietly held people together when nothing else could.

Lady Gaga wrote it with the intention of making something direct and impossible to misread, a song that did not hide its meaning behind clever wordplay but said what it meant and meant what it said.

This article gives you the full lyrics to “Born This Way,” the meaning behind them, and the story that makes this song hit as hard today as it did the first time.

About the Song

The song carries one simple but powerful message: you do not need anyone’s permission to exist exactly as you are.

Each verse reaches out to a different group, building a case that no identity, background, or way of living makes a person less deserving of acceptance.

What makes the backstory worth knowing is how fast it came together. Gaga has said she wrote it in ten minutes and described the experience as something that just poured out of her.

The song sold over a million copies on iTunes in its first five days, setting a record at the time. Released on February 11, 2011, as the lead single from her album of the same name.

Full Lyrics of “Born This Way” by Lady Gaga

Here are the full lyrics to “Born This Way,” which listeners return to whenever they need a reminder of who they are.

Intro

It doesn’t matter if you love him
Or capital “H-I-M” (M, M, M, M)
Just put your paws up
’Cause you were born this way, baby

Verse 1

My mama told me when I was young
“We are all born superstars.”
She rolled my hair and put my lipstick on
In the glass of her boudoir
“There’s nothing wrong with loving who you are.”
She said, “’Cause He made you perfect, babe.”
So hold your head up, girl, and you’ll go far
Listen to me when I say

Chorus

I’m beautiful in my way
’Cause God makes no mistakes
I’m on the right track, baby
I was born this way
Don’t hide yourself in regret
Just love yourself, and you’re set
I’m on the right track, baby
I was born this way (Born this way)

Post-Chorus

Ooh, there ain’t no other way
Baby, I was born this way
Baby, I was born this way (Born this way)
Ooh, there ain’t no other way
Baby, I was born this way
Right track, baby
I was born this way

Interlude

Don’t be a drag, just be a queen
Don’t be a drag, just be a queen
Don’t be a drag, just be a queen
Don’t be (Don’t be, don’t be)

Verse 2

Give yourself prudence, and love your friends
Subway kid, rejoice your truth
In the religion of the insecure
I must be myself, respect my youth
A different lover is not a sin
Believe capital H-I-M, hey-hey-hey
I love my life, I love this record, and
Mi amore vole fe yah (Same DNA)

Chorus

I’m beautiful in my way
’Cause God makes no mistakes
I’m on the right track, baby
I was born this way
Don’t hide yourself in regret
Just love yourself, and you’re set
I’m on the right track, baby
I was born this way

Post-Chorus

Ooh, there ain’t no other way
Baby, I was born this way
Baby, I was born this way (Born this way)
Ooh, there ain’t no other way
Baby, I was born this way
Right track, baby
I was born this way

Interlude

(Way)
Don’t be, don’t be, don’t be, d—
(Way)
Church

Verse 3

Don’t be a drag, just be a queen
Whether you’re broke or evergreen
You’re black, white, beige, chola descent
You’re Lebanese, you’re Orient
Whether life’s disabilities
Left you outcast, bullied, or teased
Rejoice and love yourself today
’Cause baby, you were born this way

Chorus

No matter gay, straight, or bi
Lesbian, transgender life
I’m on the right track, baby
I was born to survive
No matter black, white, or beige
Chola or Orient made
I’m on the right track, baby
I was born to be brave
I’m beautiful in my way
’Cause God makes no mistakes (’Cause God makes no mistakes)
I’m on the right track, baby (Right track, baby)
I was born this way (Born this way)
Don’t hide yourself in regret
Just love yourself, and you’re set (Love yourself, and you’re set)
I’m on the right track, baby (Right track, baby)
I was born this way, yeah

Post-Chorus

Ooh, there ain’t no other way
Baby, I was born this way
Baby, I was born this way (Born this way)
Ooh, there ain’t no other way
Baby, I was born this way
I’m on the right track, baby
I was born this way

Outro

I was born this way, hey (Hey)
I was born this way, hey (I was born this way, hey)
I’m on the right track, baby
I was born this way, hey (Born this way, hey)
I was born this way, hey (Hey)
I was born this way, hey (I was born this way, hey)
I’m on the right track, baby (Right track, baby)
I was born this way, hey
Same DNA (Hey, hey, hey, hey)
But born this way (Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey)
Same DNA (Hey, hey, hey, hey)
But born this way (Hey, hey, hey)

Live Performance of “Born This Way” by Lady Gaga

Songs Similar to “Born This Way” by Lady Gaga

If “Born This Way” is the song that made you feel like the world finally had room for you, these tracks carry that same energy of refusing to shrink yourself for anyone.

• Express Yourself by Madonna: The song that “Born This Way” drew its DNA from, built on a bold brass-driven production and a vocal performance that demands you take up space and refuse to settle for less than you deserve.

• Roar by Katy Perry: A pop track that starts quietly and builds into something you cannot ignore, with a chorus that hits like a fist in the air and lyrics that feel like a personal promise to never go back to being small.

• True Colors by Cyndi Lauper: Stripped back, piano-led, and quietly devastating, this one does what “Born This Way” does without the drums or the synths, proving that the message is powerful enough to carry itself on its own.

• Same Love by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis feat. Mary Lambert: A hip hop track that takes on prejudice directly and without apology, with a spoken word delivery that pulls no punches and a chorus that lands like a gut punch every single time.

Artists Similar to Lady Gaga

• Madonna
  Genre: Electropop
  Top Work: Like a Prayer
• Katy Perry
  Genre: Pop
  Top Work: Teenage Dream
• Beyoncé
  Genre: R&B
  Top Work: Lemonade
• Kesha
  Genre: Pop
  Top Work: Animal

• Kylie Minogue
  Genre: Pop
  Top Work: Light Years

Frequently Asked Questions

Is “Born This Way” by Lady Gaga an LGBTQ Song?

Yes. While written for all outsiders, its direct references to gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender identities made it a defining LGBTQ anthem.

What was the Controversy Around “Born This Way” Lyrics?

The song faced accusations of copying Madonna’s “Express Yourself” and using outdated racial terms. Malaysian radio stations also bleeped out its LGBTQ references entirely.

How Fast Did “Born This Way” Sell After Its Release?

It sold over one million copies on iTunes in five days, entering the Guinness World Records as the fastest-selling iTunes single.

Was “Born This Way” the First Song with That Title?

No. Singer Valentino released a song with the same title in 1975, followed by gospel singer Carl Bean’s version years later.